Oktoberfest 2026 runs from September 19 to October 4 on Munich’s Theresienwiese. It’s Europe’s largest folk festival and, its reputation notwithstanding, it isn’t only for people who want to drink beer by the liter. Here’s what you need to know if you’re thinking of going this year.
How it opens
On the first Saturday the tents open at 9am, non-alcoholic drinks are served from 10am, and at exactly noon the mayor taps the first barrel with “O’zapft is!” That’s the moment the festival is officially open.
Opening hours
- Monday to Thursday: 10:00 – 23:30
- Friday: 10:00 – 00:00
- Saturday: 09:00 – 00:00
- Sunday: 09:00 – 23:30
The Oide Wiesn — the “old” section with historic rides, traditional music and a far calmer atmosphere — runs Sunday to Thursday 10:00–23:30 and Friday to Saturday 10:00–00:00. If you’re bringing children, or the crush simply isn’t your thing, this is your answer.
What the beer costs
A liter (a Maß) at Oktoberfest 2026 runs from €14.80 to €15.90 depending on the tent — roughly 2.4% more than last year. At the Kufflers Weinzelt wine tent, a liter of wheat beer reaches €18.40.
Budget for food too: half a roast chicken, pork knuckle or Weisswurst at festival-reasonable prices, though not cheap ones.
No reservation? Not a problem
This is the biggest misconception. Table reservations for 2026 opened last spring — April or May — so they’re effectively closed now. That does not mean you can’t get in:
- Entry to the tents is free.
- In the big tents, 25% of the seats cannot be reserved at all.
- On weekends and public holidays, 40% of seats are unreservable until 3pm, and 25% stay unreservable after that.
In practice: go in the morning — ideally on a weekday, walking in as the doors open at 10 — and you’ll find a seat. Late afternoon and evening, especially Friday and Saturday, tents close for overcrowding and nobody gets in.
If you really want a table, there’s an official resale portal where unused reservations are sold at their original price, covering 21 medium and large tents. Don’t buy tables from auctions or resellers: reservations can’t legally be resold otherwise, and the tent owners cancel them when they spot it.
What “minimum consumption” means
There’s no compulsory menu. In the main aisles of the tents, the minimum consumption for a reserved table is usually two liters of beer and half a roast chicken per person. In the boxes and galleries an €18 consumption voucher is added. Unused vouchers can be redeemed or refunded.
Practical notes for travelers from Greece
- The Athens–Munich flight takes about two and a half hours, with several daily options.
- Accommodation in Munich during those two weeks is the most expensive of the year. Suburbs on the S-Bahn network cost far less and sit 20 minutes from the Theresienwiese.
- Leave the car. The U-Bahn stops literally at the entrance (Theresienwiese and Schwanthalerhöhe).
- The festival has strict rules on what you can bring in — large bags and backpacks are not allowed.
- Two weeks of festival also means a full city: if you want to see Munich itself, keep a morning for the centre and a day for Bavaria.
Want to go without doing the legwork?
At Penguin Travels & Tours we put together Munich getaways for Oktoberfest and for autumn in Bavaria, with accommodation that won’t wreck your budget and an itinerary that isn’t only beer tents.
Thinking about Munich this September? Stop by our office in Kalamata (Vasilissis Olgas 4) or call us at +30 27210 80701 — there’s still time.
